Germany's aviation industry has dropped its resistance to carbon dioxide emissions trading schemes and says it is ready to be included, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily reported on Monday. The heads of all airline and aviation industries as well as companies in the sector reached an agreement on Friday to overturn their objections to emissions trading, the newspaper reported, citing a decision document from the meeting.

The move brings the industry in line with demands from the European Commission and the German transport ministry. The document said that trading carbon dioxide emissions certificates was "correct and is expressly welcomed".

In contrast to a system of taxation, emissions trading was more effective and made more sense economically, the industry said. The document was written by airlines operating in Germany, airport operators, the German federation of air and space travel as well as the German tourism authority. It was also backed by Lufthansa.
(Planet Ark, 13/02/2007)